Will A Craftsman Bagger Fit A Cub Cadet?

A Cub Cadet riding lawn mower makes grass cutting quicker, especially with a bagger attached to it. But will any bagger attachment, like a Craftsman bagger, fit into a Cub Cadet mower? We have done the research and found the answer.

Before you buy a Craftsman bagger, you should know the Cub Cadet's serial number and manufacturing date. The number determines the compatibility of the lawn mower with the bagger. Cub Cadet mowers come in different models and sizes.

The bagger offers convenience in clipping collection in less time than manual raking. We will let you in on bagger problems and how to solve them. With that said, let's dive in! 

Grass-mower after mowing a garden in spring. - Will A Craftsman Bagger Fit A Cub Cadet?

Man on a Husqvarna TC 138 Ride-On Lawn Mower

Industrial handsome worker using ride-on tractor, lawn tractor. Lawn mowing details with tractor and sun rays

Craftsman Bagger

Cub cadet yellow tractor mower. - Will A Craftsman Bagger Fit A Cub Cadet?

Baggers come in different sizes and styles to fit walk-behind and riding mowers. Some have significant capacities that can fit clippings from a large grassy area. 

A modern lawn mower cutting through the grass.

A Craftsman bagger comes in single to three bags. These bags are attached to different types of mowers with sizes from 30 inches to 54 inches. 

Its 42-inch or 46-inch double bagger is compatible with a lap bar zero-turn bagger. Its triple bagger, however, fits any 50-inch or 52-inch riding mower. 

However, no specific lawn mower models are indicated. So it is best to know the compatibility of your lawn mower before purchasing the bagger. 

Is Your Bagger Compatible With The Cub Cadet?

Cadet Riding Tractors on display

Even if it says that a Craftsman bagger can fit any riding lawn mower, it is still best to verify using the model details of your Cub Cadet mower.

Knowing that these Craftsman baggers are compatible with riding mowers is just one side of the story. Another essential piece of information is the serial number and the manufacturing date of the Cub Cadet mower.

This data determines if you have the right bagger for your Cub Cadet. Finding other parts and accessories for the mower will also need the same information. 

A metal sheet or sticker under the mower's seat, on the frame, or below the dash panel will have the necessary information.

The serial number of the mower has 11 digits. The fifth number indicates the last number of the year it was manufactured. For example, if the fifth number is seven, it was manufactured in 1997, 2007, or 2017.

Call the Cub Cadet's technical support to verify if any of the Craftsman bagger models will be a match for your lawn mower. 

How Do You Attach A Craftsman Bagger?

Toro Titan zero turn lawn mower with bagger attached in yard of grass.

The bagger comes with a mounting bracket, bagger rail, bag, chute, and hardware. You will also need a wrench tool to attach the bagger to the mower.

  1. Attach the grass catcher to the mower with the mounting bracket and the screws included in the pack.
  2. The mounting bracket should have holes that match the holes at the back of the mower. You can drill holes to secure the mounting bracket if the holes do not match. 
  3. Screw in the bagger rail once the mounting bracket is in place. Plastic bins or nylon bags easily slide into the rail. 
  4. Attach one end of the tube or chute to the deck with the lock pins or screws.
  5. The other end of the chute should fit into the bagger's hole.
  6. Lock in the attachment securely with the screws that come with the bagger. 

You can make modifications if the chute does not fit well into the deck hole. It might be tricky and require more drilling or metal work. 

Here is a video tutorial to guide you better in attaching the Craftsman bagger.

Advantages Of A Bagger

Cutting grass will yield a lot of clippings. A plastic container or a nylon bag is needed to catch the clippings from the deck. If not, the clippings gather on the ground and must be collected manually or left to rot. 

Here are some advantages of using a bagger.

Helps In Lawn Growth

Bagging promotes healthy grass. Using a bagger reduces the thatch that covers the grass.

Thatch is made of organic materials but should not be left on the grass. Water, fertilizer, and air promote root growth. But this is hampered if thatch thickens on the grass. 

Easy Waste Disposal

Clippings from the deck go directly to the bagger. It lessens waste on the ground and manual cleaning and raking afterward. 

The baggers have ergonomic rails to make it easy to remove the plastic bin or nylon bag. So, removal and manual disposal of clippings are quicker. Some baggers can even automatically empty the clippings into a collection receptacle

Saves Time

The Craftsman baggers can take up to 10 bushels of clippings. It depends on how many bins the bagger has. A two-bagger contains six and a half bushels of grass clippings.

While a three-bagger has a 10-bushels capacity, it also reduces the time to unload clippings between cutting. There are baggers with a sight window. Peeping through the windows quickly shows if the bag is getting full. 

Check this double bagger for a riding lawn mower on Amazon.

Why Doesn't The Grass Go To The Bagger?

mowing the lawn

While using the bagger, you may notice clogging in the chute. Problems can occur if: 

Grass Too Wet

Grass with lots of dew or soggy can cause problems. It sticks to the deck and prevents airflow. Wet grass can also cause clumping, which clogs the chute and the blower. 

Wait for the grass to dry before cutting. You could do this midday when the sun is out, and the grass is not covered with dew. Waiting also ensures that more grass cutting is sucked into the bagger and not left on the ground. 

Ground Speed 

The mower should not be at full speed to give it time to do its work correctly. The engine is overworked when the ground speed is too fast. The deck will also not pick up the grass clippings properly. Check the mower's speed and slow down to make it work efficiently. 

Cutting Too Deep

You should cut around a third of the blade length of the grass. The lawn height should be around three inches before cutting.

When using a mower, cut grass only up to an inch. Do not cut too deep, as this will be too harsh for the grass, and the mower will have a hard time. Set the blade at one setting level first, then adjust if needed. 

Dull Or Damaged Blade

A dull or damaged blade will not properly cut grass. It prevents air movement from pushing the grass clippings from the deck to the chute. Dull or damaged blades can also cause clumping of clippings which clogs the chute.

Check the blade sails, and change them when they thin. The blade sails are on the higher side of the blade.

Replace with a high-lift blade which creates more air circulation on the deck so the grass can move freely. It also has more air pressure to lift the clipping faster to the chute and the bagger. 

Check this high lift blade set on Amazon.

Dirty Underside Deck

The underside of the deck, full of grass clippings, prevents air from circulating. Poor air movement will make it hard for the cuttings to move to the bagger. Riding lawn mower decks have a ready wash port.

An adapter nozzle is needed to attach the water hose to the port. Make the water run and turn on the engine for the blades to spin. Cleaning the deck this way will significantly improve its efficiency.

Have a look at this adapter nozzle on Amazon.

Grass Residue

The constant use of the mower makes grass residue stick to the sides of the chute. Remove the blower's chute or tube attachment from the mower. Check and remove grass, dirt, and debris left inside the chute.

For grass residue, do not just scrape this, as this can do damage to the chute. The best way is to soak the chute components in dishwashing soap diluted with water which softens the residue.

Then brush off the sides to loosen the residue with a soft-bristled brush. Rinse off, then let the chute dry completely. Once dry, spray silicone lubricant to prevent grass clippings from sticking to the chute. The lubricant also lessens chute cleaning frequency. 

You can buy this silicone lubricant on Amazon.

In Conclusion

Knowing the serial number and manufacturing year determines the compatibility of the Craftsman bagger with the Cub Cadet mower. Conduct regular maintenance to prevent any problems and make your equipment more efficient. 

For other garden tools and equipment issues, we have these articles:

What Is The Best Garden Cultivator [Inc. Battery, Electric, And Gas]?

Lawn Mower Stalls When Tilted – What To Do?

Toro Sprinkler Head Doesn't Rotate – Why And How To Fix?

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